Murder Conviction Upheld: Supreme Court Dismisses Appeals in Maharashtra Killing Case

The case of Sanjay Khanderao Wadane vs. State of Maharashtra involved a brutal murder that took place in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, in 2008. The Supreme Court was faced with determining whether the conviction of the accused, who were sentenced to life imprisonment, should be upheld.

The prosecution alleged that on the evening of January 31, 2008, Ravindra Kale was attacked and beaten to death by a group of 12 people, including the appellants, due to a long-standing dispute. The accused, armed with swords and iron pipes, ambushed the victim, leading to fatal injuries.

Arguments Presented

Petitioner’s Arguments

The defense argued that:

• The medical evidence did not fully corroborate the eyewitness accounts.
• There were discrepancies in witness testimonies regarding the sequence of events.
• The absence of food particles in the victim’s stomach raised doubts about the prosecution’s timeline.

Respondent’s Arguments

The prosecution contended that:

• The eyewitness accounts were consistent and credible.
• The medical evidence confirmed that the victim suffered fatal wounds from swords and iron pipes.
• The accused acted as part of an unlawful assembly with the common objective of killing the victim.

Supreme Court’s Observations

The Supreme Court reviewed the testimonies and evidence, noting:

“The evidence of PWs 5, 8, and 12 are found to be trustworthy and fully corroborated with each other on the point of alleged incident with regard to the involvement of the appellants herein.”

Addressing the defense’s argument about the absence of food in the stomach, the Court stated:

“The presence or absence of food at the time of post-mortem in relation to the time of death is based on various factors and circumstances such as the type and nature of the food consumed, the time of taking the meal, the age of the person concerned, and power and capacity of the person to digest the food.”

Final Judgment

The Supreme Court upheld the convictions and life sentences of the accused, dismissing their appeals. The Court concluded:

“We do not find any infirmity in the orders passed by the High Court with regard to the conviction and sentence of the appellants-accused. The appeals are accordingly dismissed.”

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Download Judgment: Sanjay Khanderao Wad vs State of Maharashtra Supreme Court of India Judgment Dated 03-08-2017.pdf